Fibre-optic handbags get a glowing reception

Kaspar Baenziger's handbags shine above the competition ... literally. Made from a fabric of weaved fibre-optic threads and hooked up to an LED and power source, they glow " rather like a starry sky", according to the Swiss entrepreneur and designer.

Baenziger has a degree in medicine, but turned his hand to designing handbags three years ago. Since then, his glowing products have won orders from the likes of Queen Latifa, several Playboy bunnies and, bizarrely, R Kelly.

The fibres themselves, which are prepared with a treatment Baenziger describes as top secret, are translucent and lit by blue, white, green or red LEDs. Added colour comes from the thread that holds them in place, which can be any shade of choice, and printing on the fibres.

The fabric could be weaved into clothes, says Baenziger, although some problems would have to be overcome. "Firstly, you cannot cut and stitch garments without destroying the light flow, and secondly, the fabric is difficult to wash," he says. The bags, however, are treated to be protected against dirt and scratches.

The cost of production has deterred many in the industry. "I contacted around 300 manufacturers and visited 30, but all of them came back and said that the process of creating the fabric was too complicated and too expensive," he says.

Finally, though, he found an entrepreneur from Tessin, in southern Switzerland, who was prepared to invest and Baenziger got to see the fabric fashioned into accessories. Despite stirring up a great deal of interest with the striking design, he is yet to find a distributor: this is a difficult time to be marketing luxury items. The smaller designs cost about £700, and the distributors he has visited are wary of taking any risks at the moment.

In the meantime, Baenziger has numerous of other projects on the go, ranging from watch design to fund management. Then there are regular trips to Hollywood, where there's always a star in need of a new handbag.